This is an exciting time of the year whenthe local bars and restaurants are booking
a lot of bands for the summer, everyone is
getting ready for X-fest things are just on fire.
Some of our bands and families work so hard
to support the local scene as they not only
perform, but book and organize shows and
festivals. This month we get to know Matty
Comer, a performer last year at the MAMA
Awards and at the Amgen Tour as well as a
multitude of gigs around the area. He also
presents the Turlock Acoustic Music Society.
On top of all that, his music is awesome.
ModestoView sat down with Matty and got
the inside scoop.
ModestoView: When did you first
pick up the guitar?
Matty Comer: I first picked up a guitar
shortly after having knee surgery at
the age of 22. I was a competitive Rugby
player who needed something to occupy
my time while recovering from a career
ending surgery. I didn’t really start
to use it though until one of my friends
came across one of my poetry books and
began to put acoustic rhythms to my
words…I basically learned how to play
the guitar so that I could sit down and
play and sing the words that I hadwritten
prior to even owning a guitar.
MV: How would you describe your
music to a person sitting next to you on
plane?
MC: Ihave heard alot people say that
my sound is similar to that of Neil Young
and Crazyhorse. My lead guitarist Dr.
Blue picked up on it immediately…and
accented our themes and intros so that
you can hear it. This is very prevalent
in a song called PROMISE LAND….
However, I am from West Georgia and
I have always been a huge fan of Ronny
Van Zant, Hank Williams Jr., Marshall
Tucker and the southern rock sound that
influenced my generation.
MV: What song from your childhood
gets stuck in your head?
MC: The one song from my childhood
Marshall Tucker CAN’T YOU
SEE…all time favorite..
MV: Where has your most awesome
gig been?
MC: You know we as a band have
been fortunate to play alot of incredible
shows…I do not know to how pick just
one…We have opened on 4th of July for
Shontelle at Graceda Park… She had a
#1 song IMPOSSIBLE at the time. Huge
crowds…
We have also opened for Lance Lopez
three times (WOW WHAT AN AMAZING
GUITARIST…)
The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Carbon
Leaf, Tempest, and more that I am forgetting
probably
X Fest 2010 was incredible…We
opened for We The Kings, Cartel, Baby
Bash, and WARREN G…..highlight of
the summer last year…
MV: If you could sound like some
other musician, who would it be?
MC: If I could sound like anyone
else, it would have to be my mentor Dr.
Blue…He is truly amazing, and I seem
to always have his guitar work playing
in my head…
MV: What would your dream jam
be?
MC: My dream jam wow, that is a
hard one! Probably to be on stage with
The Allman Brothers, Toy Caldwell, and
Charlie Daniels….I would have loved to
see them in the mid seventies when they
were on fire.
MV: What could the community do
differently to help local bands?
MC: I try not to think about what
the community can do differently…I
look at what we as a music scene can
accomplish….Over the last six months
I have been throwing a monthly show
here in town at The Queen Bean under
my production Company – The Acoustic
Rock Society… I have had such a huge
response from those attending as well as
those playing!! Each show has grown,
and now going into July it is amazing
how much talent is in this area…I love
the fact that there is a monthly ALL AGE
performance to showcase the elite from
this music scene of ours…More families
are coming out each month, and we as
artists LOVE IT…
We need more avenues to showcase
ourselves in an productive light. And we
are taking advantage of our situation as
much as possible…Watch for us….
MV: You had a big performance at
the 2010 MAMA Awards, what was that
like?
MC: What an honor it was for us to
even be nominated for the BEST ROCK
category, which our brothers DAM
won! But to be given the opportunity to
play in front of all of our friends, family,
fellow musicians at The State Theater
which was sold out was a huge ac-complishment
for us..and we took it as
for us..and we took it as
serious as possible, while still trying to
soak it all in…WHAT AN NIGHT TO
REMEMBER
MV: What are your upcoming
gigs?
Friday July 1, we are playing for The
Rocky Horror Picture Show for Sweet
Pea Knickers Production
July 9 Acoustic Rock Society Artist
of the Month: Dave Hanley with Joe
Barretta, Chris Doud, Roy Dean, Doug
Robinett and more…
Aug. 6 X fest 2011 95.1 KHOP Dos
Equis stage 7pm
Aug 27 Acoustic Rock Society
Hickory, Matty Comer and The Experience,
Dr. Blue and Bad Medicine, and
more
We are planning on recording by the
end of the summer. we have been working
new music in as well as members.
We have brought Chris Falkenberg in
on drums. He is one heck of a drummer
and young! Randy Brown has been
our bassist for just at a year….His first
show was at of the 4th of July last year.
Doug Robinett is our newest member!
He plays lead guitar opposite Dr. Blue
to give us that thick Southern Rock
sound….AMAZING… The two of them
together takes to whole package to the
next level!!! Doug’s first show was The
Amgen Tour in downtown Modesto….
Michelob Ultra Stage….Not bad for a
debut….
MV: OK. The ultimate music question.
Beatles or Stones.
MC: BEATLES
